Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.

New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.

Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

Over the past few years I have read 3 books by Liane Moriarty; “The Hypnotist’s Love Story”, “The Husband’s Secret”, and “What Alice Forgot”. Out of the three, the latter was the one I absolutely loved the most.

Fun fact: While reading “What Alice Forgot”, I had pictured Nicole Kidman as the character Alice. LOL!

Strangely I never got to reading Big Little Lies, until I saw the first episode on HBO. From the entry theme song to the end of that episode, I was hooked and wanted more. I immediately purchased the ebook and read it in just a couple of days. This book was, and still is AMAZING! With such a powerful message on domestic violence and abuse. One of my best reads.

“Everyone wanted to be rich and beautiful,

but the truly rich and beautiful had to pretend

they were just the same as everyone else.”

– Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies)

I was very pleased they made a series adaptation instead of a 2-hour movie. Naturally certain details were left out or even enhanced, but overall it exceeded my expectations. The screenplay was very well written. And the performances by the following actresses in particular; Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern and Zoe Kravitz, were OUTSTANDING!

After the last episode I felt like making a standing ovation. Such an emotional and well performed episode and series in general.